1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to methods of making and using a water treatment composition for improved water infiltration during irrigation.
2. Description of the State of the Art
Maintaining the quality of soil and turf, as well as optimizing irrigation through the conservation of water, are goals of agriculturists and turfgrass managers, especially under drought conditions. These goals can be better approached through an implementation of a variety of approaches that include increasing water infiltration, decreasing water run-off and evaporation, as well as managing the storage and availability of the water that has reached the rootzone. However, these approaches can be difficult to implement for a number of reasons. In semi-arid regions, for example, there is an inefficient water supply to support stable agriculture—both in stored water supplies and in natural aquifers. Furthermore, the seasonal rainfall in such regions can be insufficient and highly erratic from year to year.
A critical factor in obtaining a sufficient water supply in a soil is the degree to which the soil surface allows water to penetrate, and this can become critical at the time of the first irrigation. The surface of the soil changes with the formation of soil peds or aggregates. These peds or aggregates are formed by both physical forces that include binding of the soil components, which occurs principally through the interactions of organic matter and microbials in the soil. The net result is a formation of a surface crust that can often be nearly impervious to water, can severely decrease water infiltration (often by a thousand-fold or more), increase water run-off and evaporation and, thus, make it difficult for one of skill to manage the storage and availability of water at the rootzone.
The wetting profiles of a crusted soil are non-uniform with and often show an increase in leaching due to preferential flow of water. It should also be appreciated that dire environmental consequences can also result from the crusting of soil under irrigation conditions, including a surface run-off of pesticides and fertilizers into pristine areas and/or potable reservoirs.
Chemicals, such as gypsum, sulfuric acid or sulfur, to control the impact of problems associated with poor irrigation. Unfortunately, not only is there a cost to obtain and use such chemicals, there are additional costs that include a need for extra storage facilities and an increased freight capacity. For example, agriculturalists will often apply various surfactant compositions in the management of the water repellency of thatch and soils, as well as for the enhancement of soil hydration in managed turfgrass. One of skill will appreciate, however, that although soil surfactants perform well, they are often cost-prohibitive in many applications, since the amount of soil surfactant that must be applied to reduce the surface tension of a soil and obtain the desired water penetration is high.
At least for the reasons described above, the skilled artisan will appreciate the novel methods and compositions taught in this application for irrigating soil. The present invention is superior to anything currently available in the art with respect to the results that are realized at a given cost of operation.